West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-12-16

fulfills the requirements within the
limits you have prescribed for your
self. Shut your eyes when you pass
such "bargain" counters as contain
dved hosiery, malformed gloves
and decayed artificial flowers. Close
them also upon the destinations of
red tulle walls, and walls dotted with
substance that will stick to yonr
face on a moist or warm day, and
make you look as if you had the
smallpox.
Don't be deluded by efforts on the
part of the statesmen to induce you
to buy against yourjudgment. Their
value to the proprietor is in proper
ton to their ability to get rid of
goods that are not desirable; any
BODY can sell what every body wants.
"Give women what they want, said
one of them, sand wild horses can
not prevent them from somehow get
ting it," But you must be sure that
the reason why you want a thing is
because it supplies your own need
not because others have it.
Remember, you are not obliged to
buy LONELINESS or sadness, OF mere
ly negative qualities. If you have
taste for color. crafty it, but do it
judiciously. Get red wool for
morning dress, line it with cheap
gray twill, and face it with good
open Irish point. The materials
will cost about Sc, and it will be
wearable for several years. Get
Gobelin wool, if red does not suit
you.
1t is not we'll to buy more than is
needed, but it is not economy to live
on one or two dresses, as some re-
commend. This might have been
done in a simpler state of society,
and may be perhaps now by those
whose routine is limited and know
very little change. But the woman
who has to dress we'll on small means
is usually subject to diversified Gle
mands and the pressure of social as
we'll as domestic or business obliga
tions. If these do not exist for her
the question presents no difficulties,
and need not be discussed. Taking
the diversified requirements for
granted, it will be found more eco
nomical to have clothing adapted to
them than to be obliged to wear one
dress. whether it be suitable or not
The advantage of one or two dress
es is that they can be renewed fre-
quently and represent the latest
style. But this is not always desir'
able. There are dresses for various
occasions which may retain q style
of their own. Morning dresses,
walking, boating, bathing, and even
evening dresses
A white cloth or flannel dress does
not seem to be an economical pur-
chase, yet it has been found so by
some persons. For example: A still
young-looking lady, who has, how
ever, been married eight years, and
has several children, called the other
day, wearing a white wool suit,
braided in an open pattern, and
looking so fresh and pretty that
some one remarked upon it and com
plimented her upon its fit. This
was one of my trousseau dresses,
she laughingly rejoined, land was
made some eight years ago. 1t has
been three times in the hands OF the
cleaner, who charges me three dol
lars, but it is worth it, for it comes
out as good as new." The preser-
vation of such dress and its effec-
tive use upon occasions would not
be possible if it was one of zone or
two"
One or two black dresses are in
dispensable to an economical ward
robe, one of black silk, the other a
combination of silk and wool. Sat
in is only suitable for middle-aged
women, and for these it may be
trimmed with guipure lace or jet, or
both. But Younger women should
select faille, or satin Franchise; use
a simple but graceful design, and
good imitation chantilly for neck
and sleeves of the more dressy bod
ice, for it is economy to have two, if
YOU can make them yourself.
Ifa good silk is used, it may be
worn for two seasons and will be
still good to cover with piece lace,
or make into a skirt, which, trimm-
ed may be worn with jersey or in
dependent basque, and, untrimmed,
with a gray or black polonaise.
There is no more useful minor cos
tune than black silk skirt and po-
lonaise of black camel's hair or CASH
mere. with full silk plated vest;
and the combination will be still
more effective OF moire, W th the
wool. hut il will also be more eX-
pensive. a good black silk, inciud-
ing lining, trimmings and finish,
will cost $50 even if made at home
with the assistance for two days OF
a good dressmaker. But thus will
admit of a choice between faille,
moire or satin Franchise, or nice jet
trimming and the two bodices, with
! lace for the second.
Indispensable to comfort and
neatness are two walking dresses
one a hack dress Of plain wool. the